Wildflower*

Springtime Yipee, originally uploaded by http://andrewskelton.net.

Do I look different to you today, Dear Reader… have a close look before you answer… no? I should do, I should look windswept and interesting as I’ve been riding my Harley down Route 66, wind blowing through my hair, sun on my back, as I ride mile after mile through the hot arid land. Okay, I haven’t literally been riding a hog through the desert – but with the bright blue skies, warm weather and being out with my camera photographing anything and everything whilst listening to the classic album “Electric” by the Cult – I felt like I was! Co-incidentally, I went round to see friends this evening, and the man of the house has two Harleys… and one just happens to be for sale!

The Cult were vilified by the music press when “Electric” was first released, the band had been riding high after their smash hit single “She Sells Sanctuary” which was all phased guitars and hippy influences. The band had been instrumental in the Goth movement, but with this one release they distance themselves in one step – and similarly the Goth movement disassociated themselves from their association with the band. Despite my huge love of Sisters of Mercy, Bauhaus, Alien Sex Fiend et al. I immediately loved the album.. it did help that I was mesmerised by the gold vinyl it was pressed in (shiny objects). I don’t own a record player any more (though I do still own all my vinyl – I just can’t part with all my old friends, we’ve been through so much together!) which is difficult when you own so much vinyl, but luckily I’ve been able to duplicate my favourite albums in CD format quite cheaply – Indie music wasn’t very popular for a long time so would always be found in the bargain bucket.

As joyous and uplifting as I find this album, that wasn’t the best part of the day, oh no… not by a long shot. I spent a large portion of the late afternoon out in the back garden where I seemed to relocate half of my camera gear to take a few tulip photographs. A bit like that famous advert, which is now firmly embedded in the lexicon in the UK, these were just tulips, these were well illuminated, perfectly exposed tulips! Utilising the two tripods I have, my flash gun, the wireless flash control unit, my camera remote including the wireless screen plus a gold and silver reflector, I spent several hours trying to take a photo of the deep purple (no smoke or water was used in the taking of the photo**) tulips that was as beautiful as the flowers themselves. You’ll have to wait until tomorrow to see whether I achieved this or not (is this the point where we have the electronic drum riff that seems to accompany most TV cliff hangers?)

*Wildflower is the first track on the Electric album as well as the subject of today’s photo – see what I did there?!

**Sorry, music joke there, I am of course refering to “Smoke on The Water” by Deep Purple.

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